Across cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, these youth gaming zones became more than just places to pass time. For many, they were the first
An illustrative image related to: Are gaming cafes making a return?, highlighting key aspects of the story. | Image source: The Express Tribune
Are gaming cafes making a return?
Across cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, these youth gaming zones became more than just places to pass time. For many, they were the first real introduction to rivalry. It was in spaces like these that players such as Arslan Ash and Sumail Hassan first developed their craft, without any coaches, or a structured framework. They honed their skill through repetition, instinct, and the constant presence of someone better sitting a few seats away.
Over time, these gaming spaces began to fade. As online reach improved, gaming shifted to mobile screens, and many cafes shut down. The crowds thinned, and the heritage that once filled these rooms slowly moved into homes. Gaming became more individual, more accessible, still plus more isolated.
Now, that tilt appears to be turning again.
A fresh version of these spaces is beginning to emerge. The cramped rooms have been replaced, in some areas, by more refined setups. High-performance PCs, console stations, and even racing simulators are finding their way into dedicated esports hubs. The environment looks different, still the intent feels familiar. Players are still chasing improvement, still measuring themselves against others.
For beginner-grade Valorant players, like Asad Laiq, the experience has not changed as much as it seems. “In a cafe, everyone is focused,” he says. “There’s pressure. That environment helps a lot in improving.”
What has changed, yet, is everything around that gaming chair. The talent has always been there, still the framework to endorse it has not. There are no academies, and little consistency in tournaments or exposure. Even today, players are largely dependent on shared spaces, unstable online connections, and their own persistence to shift forward.
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